CHAPTER 1 ~ FINN'S POV

The Sunday roast chicken was dry, but I knew better than to say anything about it. My mother had spent three hours in the kitchen, rattling pans and humming along to an obscure 80s pop playlist, and if I criticized the food, I would never hear the end of it. I sawed through a piece of breast meat with my knife, the porcelain plate clinking loudly in the quiet dining room, and took a bite. It required a significant amount of chewing."Pass the gravy, please," my dad said from the head of the table.I picked up the ceramic boat and handed it to him. He poured a generous amount over his potatoes, completely ignoring the tension that was radiating off my mother like heat from a pavement in July. She was sitting across from me, her wine glass filled to the brim with Chardonnay, and she was watching me. She wasn’t eating. She was just watching me chew."So," she started.I flinched internally. I knew that tone. It was the tone she used right before she tried to manage my life. I quickly sho

Last Updated : 2026-02-05

CHAPTER 2 ~ FINN'S POV

"I am proud of you," she said, her voice softening just a fraction, though the intensity in her eyes didn't waver. "You know that, right? When you came out to us, I was so happy. I bought that flag for the porch. I went to the parade with you. I am the proudest mother of a gay son in this entire neighborhood. I just want you to be happy. I want you to have someone to bring to dinner. I want to buy an extra Christmas stocking. Is that so wrong?""It’s not wrong, Mom," I said, feeling the familiar weight of guilt settling in my chest. "I appreciate the support. Really. I know some guys have parents who aren’t okay with it, and I’m lucky. But you can’t force these things. It happens when it happens.""But you aren't helping it happen!" she insisted. "You hide in the library. You hide in your room. You wear those oversized hoodies like you are trying to disappear into the drywall. If you want a boyfriend, Finn, you have to let people see you."She stood up abruptly and grabbed the serving

Last Updated : 2026-02-05

CHAPTER 3 ~ FINN'S POV

By the time I made it back to campus later that evening, my mother’s voice was still ringing in my ears like tinnitus. “Your type is fictional.” It was unfair, mostly because it was true.I parked my beat-up sedan in the student lot, grabbed my duffel bag, and trudged toward the dorms. The campus was alive in a way that always made my skin prickle. It was Sunday night, which meant everyone was either frantically finishing assignments or loudly recounting their weekend mistakes. Groups of students clustered on the quad, laughing, smoking, and practically vibrating with social energy.I kept my head down, pulling the hood of my sweatshirt up. It was a reflex. If I couldn't see them, maybe they wouldn't see me."Finn! Hey, Finn!"I winced. The strategy had failed.I turned to see Sarah jogging toward me, her curls bouncing with every step. Sarah was one of the few people on this campus I could tolerate for extended periods. She was loud, opinionated, and had absolutely no filter, but she

Last Updated : 2026-02-05

CHAPTER 4 ~ KYLE'S POV

Two hundred and twenty-five pounds. That was the number. It was heavy enough to hurt, but light enough that I could make it look easy. And that was the whole point, wasn't it? Making the impossible look effortless.I lowered the bar to my chest, feeling the familiar burn tear through my pecs, controlled the pause for exactly one second, and then pressed it back up. One. Two. Three."Easy money, Bennett!" someone shouted from the squat racks.I didn't look to see who it was. I just flashed a thumbs-up, keeping my eyes locked on the ceiling tiles of the campus gym. Sweat was stinging my eyes, blurring my vision, but I didn't blink. I couldn't. There were at least three people filming stories near the dumbbell rack, and if I struggled, if my face twisted into anything other than focused determination, it would be a gif on the campus discord server by dinner time.Kyle Bennett struggling? Impossible.I racked the weight with a loud metallic clatter and sat up. The blood rushed out of my h

Last Updated : 2026-02-05

CHAPTER 5 ~ KYLE'S POV

The Student Union was vibrating. The bass from the speakers was so heavy I could feel it rattling the floorboards before I even opened the double doors. I paused outside, checked my reflection in the glass, adjusted my collar, and stepped inside.Instant noise. The air was hot and smelled like cheap cologne and spilled beer."Kyle! Bennett! My man!"The greeting came from my left before I’d taken three steps. I turned, flashing the smile. It was Mark from the debate team."Mark," I said, gripping his hand for a bro-hug. "How’s the prep going for nationals? You guys ready to crush State?""We’re getting there, man. Hey, good to see you out. Heard about... you know." He made a vague gesture with his beer cup that encompassed everything from my breakup to my general existence."Old news, Mark," I said, keeping my voice light. "I’m good. Never better."I patted his shoulder and kept moving. That was the trick. Never stop moving. If you stopped, people asked questions. If you kept moving,

Last Updated : 2026-02-05

All Chapters of PLAYING PRETEND: Chapter 1 - Chapter 5

CHAPTER 1 ~ FINN'S POV

CHAPTER 2 ~ FINN'S POV

CHAPTER 3 ~ FINN'S POV

CHAPTER 4 ~ KYLE'S POV

CHAPTER 5 ~ KYLE'S POV